Meet German to English Translation Service Provider Nicole Y. Adams

Nicole
Y. Adams is a freelance German to English translation service
provider specializing in PR, marketing and business translations. She’s based
in Brisbane, Australia where she works as NYA Communications. Nicole is
something of a multitalent; in addition to German translation, Nicole also
offers business coaching services for other translators.

It seems that
solopreneur translators wishing to expand their business tend to become
agencies, effectively mediating between other translators and clients and
moving away from the actual process of translation. Is providing other, German
translation-related services a better means of achieving this growth?

That's a great
question, Joanna.

I actually think both are entirely possible. Initially, it is
important to focus on one's translation business and not get distracted by too
many other things.

Once a translator has established a successful core
translation business, I'd advise looking beyond translation to grow their
business.

It showcases
almost 50 successful translators who have diversified their business to offer
additional services or products alongside translation proper.

I don't think it's
necessary to become an agency to grow your business, although it's definitely
one possibility. I also advocate specialising and/or changing your client base
as ways to diversify.

Then we move on from 'linguistic
diversification' (expanding your portfolio around your core service of
translation) to 'extra-linguistic diversification' (developing new business
strategies) to 'passive diversification' (income through productisation) to
'external diversification' (specialised ser­vices for language service
providers and fellow translation professionals) and finally to 'distinctive
diversification' (creating a unique niche).

So there are definitely myriad opportunities out there for
freelance translators wishing to grow their business, both translation-related
and beyond.

Are you a fan of
online translator platforms such as ProZ? Do you have particular tips for using
them successfully to advertise your German to English translation services and win clients?

Although they often
get a bad rap, I do see the benefits of such platforms and would advise
beginning translators to use them. (Although I can only speak for ProZ.com, as
I haven’t really used other platforms actively.)

ProZ.com has several aspects,
including terminology help and a job board. My first bit of advice would be to
completely ignore the job board.

Don't even bother looking at it and certainly
don't waste your time quoting. You can't generate any real work here.

What makes ProZ.com
important is the great visibility it offers translators in search engine
results. I see it as a very cheap and effective marketing tool.

It's important
to complete as much of your profile as possible, use the keyword section at the
bottom and get at least a handful of references up there. The key is to be found rather than to actively respond
to job postings.

Over
the years, some of my best clients have found me on ProZ.com, and I still work
with a couple of them today. If you present yourself appropriately, the kitchen
table agencies won't bother contacting you, but you'll attract the clients you
want and who are happy to pay your rates without arguing.

So I see ProZ.com
membership as a small investment that will pay for itself many times over in a
short space of time.

Which bits of
office software would you hate to be without in your work as a solopreneur
translator?

I've been using
Projetex (project management software for translators) for a few years now and
am quite happy with it. I couldn't imagine going back to my old Excel sheet, as
Projetex saves me so much time when it comes to quoting, reporting and
invoicing.

I
also wouldn't want to give up my favourite CAT tool, MemoQ. I find it increases
my productivity dramatically in some cases. I use it for glossary creation and
concordance searches to save me a lot of research time when I'm sure I've
already translated a particular term five years ago. :-)

A freshly baked
translator looking at your website and professional achievements might feel a
little overpowered. What are your most
important tips for someone just starting out in German translation?

Patience,
confidence and perseverance. But it'll all be worth it!

A good client is
one that....

...
sees freelance translators as business partners and understands the importance
of translation services. Someone who appreciates questions and works with the
translator to achieve the best possible result.

Someone who always communicates
professionally and with courtesy. And someone who pays punctually of course.
;-)

The best thing
about being a freelance translator:

The
freedom that comes with it. We are incredibly lucky, and I certainly thank my
lucky stars every morning that I have the privilege of working in this
profession.

Having the freedom to choose your clients, wear what you like, work
the hours that suit your circumstances and create your business around you is
priceless.

Thanks very much
Nicole for sharing your valuable insights.

Contact Nicole directly to find out more about her German
to English translation service at nyacommunications.com

(Part 1 of my interview with Nicole Y.Adams, German to English translation service provider at NYA Communications, starts here...)